Police are investigating two new complaints over the local elections in Tower Hamlets a week before residents go to the polls for an emergency by-election.
The Met confirmed today there are now 10 investigations relating to the elections after two new complaints, bringing the total received by the police to 86.
The news comes after a 24-year-old was arrested and bailed on suspicion of postal vote fraud after officers found his car boot was full of completed postal vote applications during a routine search.
Police have said the 86 complaints of electoral malpractice include “a number [relating to] alleged behaviour of campaigners at polling stations”, but that there was no evidence that crimes had taken place “in the majority of cases”.
Next Thursday’s by-election for Blackwall and Cubitt Town ward was triggered when Tower Hamlets First candidate Hifzur Rahman died of a heart attack a day before of the May 22 election.
Jim Fitzpatrick MP has called for the Electoral Commission to broaden its review of the May 22 election, which saw the vote count drag on for five days, to include allegations of voter intimidation at polling stations.
Tower Hamlets Council has defended its running of the local election, citing its tough new election protocol, and welcomed the “thoroughness” of the police investigations.
Read more:
Man arrested in Isle of Dogs had ‘car boot full’ of postal vote applications
Door-to-door probe by Tower Hamlets to stop any by-election votes fraud
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here